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Fuel Price Hike: NLC, FG Resume Talks Today

The Nigeria Labour Congress led by Mr. Ayuba Wabba and the Federal Government will resume the suspended talks on the N145 fuel pump price on Wednesday (today).

The Director in charge of Press at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, said in a statement on Tuesday that the meeting would hold by 2pm at the Conference Hall of Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

An invitation to the NLC to return to the negotiation table over the contentious increase in electricity tariff and the fuel pump price was delayed on Monday by the Ministry of Labour as a result of a scheduled meeting with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, which served a week-old strike notice on the government.

The NLC had called off the indefinite strike it called to protest fuel price hike on Sunday as a result of the intervention of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola TInubu.

While the strike was on, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, had said that the Federal Government would only resume the suspended talks with the Labour leaders if the strike was suspended.

Also, Olowookere said that the plan by PENGASSAN to embark on a nationwide strike by the midnight of Tuesday was suspended following the intervention of Ngige and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

He said Kachikwu briefed the conciliatory meeting on the issue of the Joint Venture Cash Call, the arrears of which had not been paid to the Joint Venture Partners which made the oil firms to issue a threat to lay off workers as a result of shortage of cash.

The minister was quoted as saying that the Petroleum Ministry was “restructuring the operational modalities of the Joint Venture Cash Call especially in view of the low oil prices.”

He was said to have assured the union, the JVCC partners and other stakeholders of some positive results during the next meeting scheduled for June.

“We all recall that this committee was headed by the late Hon. Min. of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. James Ocholi, but in view of the importance and the urgency of the committee, I will assume its full leadership in June to accelerate and bring its assignment to fruitful completion, part of which is to pass some oil-labour regulations into laws for the Petroleum Industry Bill,” Kachikwu was quoted as saying.

Barcelona forward Neymar has revealed his ambitions to play in the Premier League, admitting desire to play under Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho.

The 25-year-old arrived at the Camp Nou in 2013 from Santos and has gone on to form a formiddable partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the deadly attack combo, but there were reports last summer that the Brazilian was considering his future at the Camp Nou, with suggestions of a move to the Premier League or Paris Saint Germain being in the offing.

Neymar in a recent interview with the Sun, confessed his love for the Premier League and even revealed his desire to play under Guardiola or Mourinho.

He said: “The Premier League is a championship that amazes me.

“I like the playing style and the teams. And who knows, someday, I would like to play at it, yes.

“I admire Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool — these are the teams that are always there fighting.